Automatic electric shoe sole cleaner



April 9, 1963 1.. T. OUTLAW AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SHOE sous: CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1962 FIG. 5.

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5 a y m4 u V0 7 m z W 0 Mm a J E W A April 9, 1963 L. T. OUTLAW AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SHOE SOLE CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1962 United States Patent 3,634,361 AUIQMATHI ELEETREC HE S0133 ELEANER Leoland T. Outlaw, 896 M Ava, Cayce, SAC. Filed May 29, E62, Ser. No. 1%, h4 6 Claims. (El. RS-36) This invention relates to a novel automatic electric shoe sole cleaner, especially but not exclusively, for use at entrances of buildings, to prevent tracking of mud and other debris thereinto.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an efficient, practical, safe, and easily operated device of the 'kind indicated, which is adapted to be installed fiush in a recess, provided for it in a pavement or other walking area, and which is put into operation by the pressure of one or both feet upon a substantially flush treadle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rugged and reliable device of the character indicated above, which utilizes a rotary shoe sole cleaning brush, the brush being depressed below the upper surface of the device, and hence not exposed thereabove to act as a tripping hazard while the device is not in operation, the brush being automatically elevated above the device to clean shoe soles only when the device is put into operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated above, which is mechanically and electrically simplified, in the interest of low manufacturing costs and ease of servicing, and wherein the electrical and mechanical components are enclosed against the intrusion of dirt and debris and protected against the elements, only the brush being exposed through a grilled opening of the device.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing a device of the present invention installed in a recess in a pavement;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the device, the pavement recess being shown in phantom lines, and the brush in depressed position in full lines, and in elevated operative position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device, with its top plate removed;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE '5 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated device, generally designated 10, is shown as being inset into a conformably shaped recess 12. in a pavement 14, and supported upon the upper surface 16 thereof.

The device it} comprises a substantially square housing 18, fitting the pavement recess 12, and comprising shallow transverse rear and forward end walls 24} and 22, shallow left and right-hand side walls 24 and 26. These walls have, on their coplanar upper edges, a continuous lateral flange 23, which rests upon the upper surface 16 of the pavement, and serves both to support the housing 18 above the bottom of the recess and to prevent intrusion of dirt and debris between the housing and the walls of the recess. The side walls 24 and 26 have relatively 3,084,361 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 ice wide downward rear extension 3%, adjacent to the rear end wall 29, and a horizontal transverse motor support plate 32 extends between and is fixed to the lower ends of these extensions. Relatively narrow downward forward extensions 34 are formed on the side walls 24 and 26 and located midway between the rear extensions and the forward end wall 22, and have laterally inwardly extending stop arms 36, at their lower ends, which have rubber or similar resilient shock-absorbing material sleeves 33 thereon.

\The walls of the housing 18 have extending therearound, on a level below their upper edges and the flange '29, an internal lateral flange 4%, which, with the parts of the walls thereabove, defines a seat for a closefitting rectangular top plates 42. secured removably in place as by means of screws 43 threaded into the internal flange 4%. The top plate 42 is imperforate except for a transversely elongated rectangular brush exposing opening 44', located near to the forward end wall 22, and two relatively small end holes 46 and a center hole 48, which are covered by a transversely elongated flat treadle plate Ell, which has end pins 46 and a center pin 48', which extend downwardly through the end holes 46 and the center hole 48, respectively. In the interest of pedestrian safety and protection of the brush in the opening 44, a grill formed of transversely spaced longitudinal bars 45 can be provided across the opening 44, through which the bristles of the brush can work.

The treadle plate St) is adapted to seat, when depressed, in a rectangular transversely elongated recess 52, in the upper surface of the top plate 42, formed as by depressing the material of the top plate, the recess 52 being located between and spaced from the brush opening 44 and the rear housing end wall 20, and spaced at its ends, from the housing side walls.

The rear extensions 36 of the housing side walls have centered bearings 54 thereon, in which are journaled lateral pintles 56 on the rear ends of longitudinally elongated and disposed rock arms 58, which lie close to the inner surface of the housing side Walls, and reach into the space between the narrow side wall extensions 34'. The rock arms 58 have bearings 68'' on their laterally inward sides, at their forward ends, in which is securably journaled, related ends of a transverse horizontal brush shaft 62 on which a cylindrical bristle brush 64 is fixed. A pulley wheel 66 is fixed on the brush shaft 62, between the right-hand end of the brush 64 and the related rock arm bearing, and has an endless belt 68 trained thereover, which is also trained over a shaft pulley wheel 7i) on the right hand end of an electric motor M which is mounted upon the support plate 32, adjacent to the right-hand end thereof.

When the rock arms 58, and hence the brush 64, is in depressed position, the brush 64 is depressed below the top plate 42, as shown in full lines in FIGURES 2 and 4, and the rock arms rest upon the stop arms 36. When the brush 6% is elevated to operative position, it extends up through the opening 44, as shown in phantom lines in FiGURES 2 and 4.

Extending between and fixed to the rock arms 58, at a location between the rear and forward housing side wall extensions 30 and 34, respectively, is a transverse shaft 72, the lower end of the vertical core 74 of a solenoid '76 is centrally journaled thereon, as indicated at 78. The solenoid 76 comprises a winding 80 which is hinged, at its upper end, on a transverse axis, as indicated at 82, to the underside of the top plate 42, at a location between the top plate recess 52 and the forward housing side wall extensions 34. The solenoid core 74 has a collar 84 at its lower end, and a coil spring 86 is circurnposed on the core and is compressed between the collar 84 and the c eaper ,3, winding 80. The spring 86 serves to cushion and limit upward movement of the assembly comprising the rock arms and the brush 64, produced by energization of the solenoid from the depressed position thereof.

The solenoid 76 and the motor M are simultaneously energized by the closing of a treadle plate operated switch 88, which comprises an insulated block 90 which is fixed to the underside of the top plate 42, behind the top plate recess 5'2 and in line with the center treadle plate pin 48'. A relatively long flexible upper switch arm 922 is fixed to and extends forwardly from the block 99 with its forward end positioned beneath the center treadle plate pin 48, as shown in FIGURE 4, and has a contact 94, on its underside and spaced from its ends. A relatively short lower contact arm 96 is fixed to the block 93 and is spaced below and extends along the upper arm 92, and has an upstanding contact 98 aligned with and normally spaced downwardly from the upper arm contact 94, so

that when the treadle plate 50 is depressed from its normally elevated position, partly out of the top plate recess 52, as shown in FIGURE 4, its center pin engages and depresses the upper arm 92 and engages the contacts 94 and 98. When the treadle plate 59 is released and rises toward its normal elevated position, the upper switch arm 92 resiles and elevates its contact 94 out of engagement with the lower arm contact 93, and deenergi zes the motor M and the solenoid 76, thereby permitting the brush assembly to subside gravitationally to its depressed position. If desired, the spring 86 can be connected, at related ends, to the solenoid winding 89 and the core collar 84, so that the approach of the brush assembly to its depressed position and engagement with the stop arms, is cushioned by an accompanying stretching of the spring 86.

As shown in'FIGURE 5, the treadle plate 5% is elevated to and maintained in its normal elevated position by means of vertical coil springs 196' which are seated in cups 102, secured to the bottom wall 104 of the top plate recess 52, around the end holes 46, and are compressed between the bottoms of the cups and enlarged heads 196 on the lower ends of the end pins 46'.

As shown in FIGURE 6, one side of the motor M is connected by a wire to one side 1-10 of a power cord, the other side of the motor being connected by a wire 112 to the lower switch arm 96. The upper switch arm 92 is connected to the other side 114 of the power cord. One side of the winding 86 of the solenoid 76 is connected by a wire 116 to the wire 112, between the lower switch arm 96 and the motor M, and the other side thereof is connected by a wire 118 to the power cord side 1-10.

In operation, the user of the device places one or both feet upon and depresses the treadle plate 50 with a part of both or one shoe sole over the brush opening 44 of the plate 42, so that the brush is rotated and rises through the opening 44 and into contact with and cleans the sole or soles. With one foot depressing the treadle plate, the other shoe can be worked back and forth across the brush 64, so that the entire shoe sole bottom, including the instep area and the heel, are efiectively cleaned. The sides of the shoe sole and the lower side portions of the shoe can be cleaned by tilting the shoe into the rotating brush.

Although there has been shown and described a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any changes or change in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a horizontal support formed with an opening, a housing inset in the opening and supported on the support, said housing having side walls and an apertured top plate, arm means pivoted at one end on the side walls and carrying a brush shaft on its other end, a cylindrical brush fixed on said shaft, an electric motor mounted within the housing and operatively connected to the shaft, a switch connected in circuit with the motor, switch operating means on the top plate and operatively connected to the switch, a vertical solenoid pivoted at its upper end to the top plate, a vertical core engaged in the solenoid and secured at its lower end to said arm means, said solenoid being in circuit with the switch, and a coil spring circumposed on the core and compressed between the lower end of the solenoid and the arm means.

2. In combination, a pavement having an upper surface formed with a recess, a housing inset into the recess and having a lateral bounding flange bearing upon said upper surface, said housing having a top plate flushwith said flange and a brush exposing opening, a rotary brush mounted in the housing in said opening, an electric motor within the housing and operatively connected to the brush, a switch within the housing in circuit with the motor, and a treadle plate mounted on said top plate and operatively connected with the switch, said brush comprising a brush shaft, rock arm means supportably engaged at one end with the brush shaftand pivoted at the other end thereof on the housing, stop means on the housing with which said rock arm means engages in the depressed position thereof, and electromagnetic means in circuit with the rotor and acting between the housing and the rock arm means for elevating the rock arms and holding the brush up in the top plate opening and above the top plate only while the switch is closed.

3. in combination, a pavement having an upper surface formed with a recess, a housing inset into the recess and having a lateral bounding flange bearing upon said upper surface, said housing having a top plate flush with said flange and a brush exposing opening, a rotary brush mounted in the housing in said opening, an electric motor within the housing and operatively connected to the brush, a switch within the housing in circuit with the motor, and a treadle plate mounted on said top plate and operatively connected with the switch, said brush comprising a brush shaft, rock arm means suppor-tably engaged at one end with the brush shaft and pivoted at the other end thereof on the housing, stop means on the housing with which said rock arm means engages in the depressed position thereof, and electro-magnetic means in circuit with the motor and acting between the housing and the rock arm means for elevating the rock arms and holding the brush up in the top plate opening and above the top plate, said housing having side walls, said rock arm means comprising rock arms pivoted on related side walls, said brush shaft extending between the rock arms, a transverse shaft extending between the rock arms to which said electro-rnagnetic means is connected.

4. In combination, a pavement having an upper surface formed with a recess, a housing inset into the recess and having a lateral bounding flange bearing upon said upper surface, said housing having a top plate flush with said flange and a brush exposing opening, a rotary brush mounted in the housing in said opening, an electric motor within the housing and operatively connected to the brush, a switch within the housing in circuit with the motor, and a treadle plate mounted on said top plate and operativcly connected with the switch, said brush comprising a brush shaft, rock arm means engaged at one end with the brush shaft and pivoted at the other end thereof on the housing, stop means on the housing with which said rock arm means engages in the depressed position thereof, and electro-magnetic means in circuit with the motor and acting between the housing and the rock arm means for elevating the rock arms and holding the brush up in the top plate opening and above the rtop plate, said housing having side walls, said rock arm means comprising rock arms pivoted on related side walls, said brush shaft extending between the rock arms, a transverse shaft extending between the rock arms to which said electromagnetic means is connected, said electro-magnetic means comprising a vertical solenoid having a winding hinged at its upper end to the housing top wall, and a core connected to said transverse shaft.

5. In combination, a pavement having an upper surface formed with a recess, a housing inset into the recess and having a lateral bounding flange bearing upon said upper surface, said housing having a top plate flush with said flange and a brush exposing opening, a rotary brush mounted in the housing in said opening, an electric motor within the housing and operatively connected to the brush, a switch within the housing in circuit with the motor, and a treadle plate mounted on said top plate and operatively connected with the switch, said brush comprising a brush shaft, rock arm means supportably engaged at one end with the brush shaft and pivoted at the other end thereof on the housing, stop means on the housing with which said rock arm means engages in the depressed position thereof, an electro-magnetic means in circuit with the motor and acting between the housing and the rock arm means for elevating the rock arms and holding the brush up in the top plate opening and above the top plate, said housing having side walls, said rock arm means comprising rock arms pivoted on related side walls, said brush shaft extending between the rock arms, a transverse shaft extending between the rock arms to which said electro-magnetic means is connected, said electro-magnetic means comprising a vertical solenoid having a winding hinged at its upper end to the housing top wall, and a core connected to said transverse shaft, said core having a collar at its lower end, and a coil spring circumposed on the core and compressed between the winding and the collar.

6. In combination, a pavement having an upper surface formed with a recess, a housing inset into the recess and having a lateral bounding flange bearing upon said upper surface, said housing having a top plate flush with said flange and a brush exposing opening, a rotary brush mounted in the housing in said opening, an electric motor within the housing and operatively connected to the brush, a switch within the housing in circuit with the motor, and a treadle plate mounted on said top plate and operatively connected with the switch, said brush comprising a brush shaft, rock arm means supportably engaged at one end with the brush shaft and pivoted at the other end thereof on the housing, stop means on the housing with which said rock arm means engages in the depressed position thereof, and electro-rnagnetic means in circuit with the motor and acting between the housing and the rock arm means for elevating the rock arm and holding the brush up in the top plate opening and above the top plate, said housing having side walls, said rock arm means comprising rock arms pivoted on related side walls, said brush shaft extending between the rock arms, a transverse shaft extending between the rock arms to which said electro-magnetic means is connected, said electro-magnetic means comprising a vertical solenoid having a winding hinged at its upper end to the housing top wall, and a core connected to said transverse shaft, said core having a collar at its lower end, and a coil spring circumposed on the core and compressed between the winding and the collar, said spring being fixed at related ends to the winding and the collar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,193 Parker Nov. 16, 1920 1,361,068 Karro Dec. 7, 1920 1,420,375 Gales June 20, 1922 3,032,794 Stevens May 8, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 288,203 Germany Oct. 23, 1915 

1. IN COMBINATION, A HORIZONTAL SUPPORT FORMED WITH AN OPENING, A HOUSING INSET IN THE OPENING AND SUPPORTED ON THE SUPPORT, SAID HOUSING HAVING SIDE WALLS AND AN APERTURED TOP PLATE, ARM MEANS PIVOTED AT ONE END ON THE SIDE WALLS AND CARRYING A BRUSH SHAFT ON ITS OTHER END, A CYLINDRICAL BRUSH FIXED ON SAID SHAFT, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED WITHIN THE HOUSING AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SHAFT, A SWITCH CONNECTED IN CIRCUIT WITH THE MOTOR, SWITCH OPERATING MEANS ON THE TOP PLATE AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE SWITCH, A VERTICAL SOLENOID PIVOTED AT ITS UPPER END TO THE TOP PLATE, A VERTICAL CORE ENGAGED IN THE SOLENOID AND SECURED AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID ARM MEANS, SAID SOLENOID BEING IN CIRCUIT WITH THE SWITCH, AND A COIL SPRING CIRCUMPOSED ON THE CORE AND COMPRESSED BETWEEN THE LOWER END OF THE SOLENOID AND THE ARM MEANS. 